Mandolin pick-holder.



No. 655,959. Patented Aug. l4, I900.

C. M. COCHRANE.

MANDOLIN PICK HOLDER.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1900.)

(No llodel.)

Witnesses. Y inventor.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAROLYN M. COOHRANE, OF BUFFALO, NElV YORK.

MANDOLIN PICK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,959, dated August 14, 1900.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CAROLYN M. COCHRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mandolin Pick-Holders;

and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mandolin pick-holders. Prior to my invention these holders have been constructed of separable parts, between which the pick or plectrum is secured, ring attachments being provided to be clasped around the finger or thumb of the player while the pick is being manipulated. I have found in practice that the best results are produced by a holder which is extremelylight and which at the same time possesses sufficient rigidity and which can also be quickly shifted in its position between the thumb and finger to vary the effect of the pick or plectrum upon the strings of the mandolin.

The object of my invention, therefore, is to remedy the defects existing in the holders now in use and to provide an improved construction which will fully meet the delicate require:

ments of the mandolin.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved holder with the pick or plectrum attached. Fi 2 is a section on or about the line 00 a, Fig. 1, showing one method of at tachment of the pick in the holder. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing a different method Application filed February 3, 1900. Serial No. 3,862. (No model.)

of attachment. Fig. 4 is an under side perspective view of the holder alone.

A preferred adaptation of my invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification,

consists of a rigid hollow cylinder with closed ends and roughened surface and provided on one side with a longitudinal slot in which the widest end of the pick or plectrum is inserted and secured, its other side being provided with a flat rigid shank integral therewith substantially equal in width to the widest end of the flexible pick or plectrum and practically forming a prolongation of the same. i

In referring to the drawings in detail like numerals designate like parts.

1 is the rigid hollow cylinder with closed ends. Its surface is roughened in such manner, as shown, to afford a tight grip of the thumb and finger of the player during manipulation. In its under side is cut the longitudinal slot 2, which extends nearly to its closed ends 3 3. The flexible pick or plectrum 4, which is preferably triangular in form, has one of its sides inserted within this slot 2 and pressed up against or nearly against the opposite side of the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In such position the side walls of the slot may be pressed tightly against the pick to hold the same securely in operative position, as shown in Fig. 2. Another and more effective method of securing the pick is to partially fill the interior of the cylinder with shellac or other adhesive, then insert. the pick as before, and allow the shellac to harden and form a rigid bed in which the pick is securely held. This is my preferable means for securing the pick in place, as the adhesive fills in the space between the portion of pick within the cylinder and the inner wall of the cylinder (see Fig. 3) and forms a stronger and more rigid and secure connection. In either case the pick when worn or broken can be easily removed and anew one substituted.

On the side of the cylinder opposite the slot is a flat rigid shank 5, preferably formed integral with said cylinder and of about the same thickness as the pick or plectrum. The width of this shank 5 is substantially equal to the widest inserted end of the pick or plectrum 4, and lying, as it does, in the same plane it practically forms a prolongation of the same, with the roughened cylinder 1. interposed between the shank 5 and pick In holding my improved device, as described, the thumb and finger rest against the shank and pick and the roughened interposed cylinder provides the necessary frictional contact with the thumb and finger to insure a perfect manipulation of the pick against the strings of the mandolin.

It will readily be seen that owing to the entire absence of attached finger-rings my holder and pick can instantly be changed in position between the thumb and finger to vary its effect. Then,too,the size and consequentweight of the holder is reduced to a minimum consistent with effective holding of the same, by reason of which the player is enabled to produce a much more delicate tremolo effect than can be produced by the heavier holders now in use.

An additional advantage which obtains with my improved holder is that it is in one piece, and consequently has no separable parts to become accidentally detached or lost.

I claim- 1. The combination with a pick-holderhaving a Hat elongated shank projecting slightly from one side thereof, of a pick secured to and extending from the side of said holder opposite the shank.

2. The combination with a pick-holderhavingalongitudinal slot, and aprojecting shank opposite the slot, of a pick secured in said slot.

3. The combination withapick-holderhaving a longitudinal slot, and an integral projecting shank opposite the slot, of a pick secured in said slot.

4. The combination with a roughened-surface cylindrical pick-holder having a longitudinal slot and closed ends, of a pick having one part slightly narrower than the distance between the ends of the holder and said part inserted and secured in said slot.

5. The combination with a hollow pickholder having a slot, of a pick inserted in said slot, and a suitable adhesive within the hollow pick-holder for filling its interior and also securing the pick to the pick-holder.

6. A mandolin pick-holder consisting of a rigid hollow cylinder with closed ends and roughened surface and provided on one side with a longitudinal slot in which the widest end of the pick or plectrum is inserted and secured, its other side being provided with a flat rigid shank integral therewith and substantially equal in width to the widest end of the pick or plectrum the shank being in the same plane with and practically forming a prolongation of the same substantially as and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CAROLYN M. COCHRANE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM COCHRANE, W. T. ll/IILLER. 

